Song and dance take center stage

Parkland High's "Beauty and the Beast' wins top musical at Freddy Awards salute to high school theater.

May 26, 2006|By Madeleine Mathias Of The Morning Call

Fred, the State Theatre's ghost, would have been tapping his toes Thursday night to the varied musical presentations from students in 26 schools in Lehigh, Northampton and Warren counties.

He would have been cheering and shouting, clapping and screaming, as did the hundreds of high school students when their school's name -- and even the names of other schools -- appeared.

The songs and the dances and the cheering at the Easton theater were for the fourth annual Freddy Awards, which salute the best in musical theater by students in public schools, as well as private, parochial and one technical school.

Parkland High School won the outstanding overall production of a musical and four other honors as the top winner of the night. The school, which presented "Beauty and the Beast," had 15 nominations.

Margaret Newcomb of Parkland received the best actress award and Joel Dommel, Whitehall High School, which put on "Barnum," won best actor.

Bangor Area High School, nominated for 12 awards, accepted the honors for top chorus in its production of "State Fair," the outstanding production number of "All I Owe Ioway," and Anna Gothard, best supporting actress.

The three-hour program was neatly done, from its dual presenters to the special numbers by those vying for top actor and actress and top musical of the season. The awards were broadcast live on WFMZ, Channel 69, whose weatherman Ed Hanna co-hosted with Shelley Brown, the theater's executive director.

While four of the valley's largest schools had multiple nominations, most of the single awards went to smaller schools.

Belvidere High School, which produced "Godspell," won the top production by a smaller school while Seth Lucas, who played Judas, was named best supporting actor.

Vince Rostkowski, of Saucon Valley High , won the top solo vocal for "If I Can't Love Her" from "Beauty and the Beast."

The 1,500 seats were filled for the awards ceremony, which Brown called her favorite night of the year. "This is all about having fun This is a celebration for all of you."

The opening incorporated the schools' musical numbers in a mass production, the performers dancing and singing as if they had been practicing all winter instead of the week and a half before the show.

Among the Whitehall students who claimed the prize for best costume, Alison Dobrowolsky couldn't contain her excitement. "This means so much," she said, while Gavin Neese credited the "moms" for doing everything, particularly in helping create the colorful costumes for "Barnum."

Whitehall student Peter Sikalias said when people watch the Oscars, they see and hear the names and people they don't know, but in Easton on Thursday night, "we're here, we see our name, our school."

It was the first time Zack Hummer of Belvidere High School had ever acted in a play when he joined the cast of "Godspell." Hummer, who won outstanding performance by a featured ensemble member, said that opened up a path to a career: The senior is going to be a voice major at Nyack College in New York.

Another student who is looking toward a theater career because of a high school role is Gothard, the best supporting actress for her role in Bangor's musical, "State Fair." "I didn't expect this," she said, clutching the acrylic comedy and tragic mask that is the Freddy Award. "This is such a really great honor."

The Freddys are named after Fred Osterstock, who managed the theater for three decades and who some say is the State's house ghost.

The following is a list of award winners:

Outstanding Overall Production of a Musica l -- Parkland High School, "Beauty and the Beast."

Outstanding Overall Production by a Smaller School -- Belvidere High School, "Godspell." Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role -- Joel Dommel, Whitehall High School, P.T. Barnum, "Barnum."

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role -- Margaret Newcomb, Parkland High School, Belle, "Beauty and the Beast."

Outstanding Production Number -- Bangor Area High School, "All I Owe Ioway," "State Fair."